


In all these moments

by septnanis



Category: Kingdom Hearts (Video Games)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Canon Compliant, Drabble Collection, Established Relationship, Fluff, Future Fic, Kid Fic, M/M, Post-Canon, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-11
Updated: 2020-10-11
Packaged: 2021-03-08 00:14:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 25
Words: 17,062
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26946529
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/septnanis/pseuds/septnanis
Summary: 25 random drabbles I've written.Ranges from canon to future fic to au.
Relationships: Riku/Sora (Kingdom Hearts)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 38





	1. Chapter 1

”This is nice,” Riku says, holding up a pale lavender sweater that has a little gold logo on it.

“Put it back,” Sora commands and points at the rack Riku got it from so forcefully Riku almost drops it. “Or no bubble tea for you.”

Riku pouts, he loves bubbletea.

“Well, then, you pick something out!” Riku responds, not at all with a dramatic flick of the wrist that he usually reserves for summoning his Keyblade.

Sora is by no means an inherently patient person but he’s determined to get Riku at least a few articles of clothing that don’t make him look like a social experiment. Maybe he’s his attractive boyfriend but he’s also Sora’s dorky best friend and being attractive is no excuse.

“Luckily for you, I am fast becoming a man of culture,” Sora says with a tone that’s almost an accent. Before Riku can laugh at him or put him in a headlock Sora shoves an armful of clothes into Riku’s arms and steers him to a fitting room with equal parts force and affection. “Put them on in order, they’re _outfits._ ”

There’s a mumble from the fitting room that Sora refuses to dignify with an answer. Some rustling of clothes and a few choice potty mouth words later Riku steps out.

The black v necked shirt and black jeans look good on him, and maybe the vest with yellow and matte gold accents is a bit much but Riku’s always been a bit much so it suits him. The pristine white sneakers aren’t really his style but Sora gears up to insist he get them.

“Well? Good?” Riku asks, giving a despondent twirl.

“Aww Riku, you look all fashion model-y and hip,” Sora gushes. He just really likes new clothes, even if they aren’t for him. “Okay, next!”

Riku slinks back into the fitting room, his ‘I’m going to be grumpy about this for days and you don’t get to complain about it’ face on just right.

“I’ll throw in some fried chicken with that bubbletea if you buy at least two new outfits that don’t make me want to put my head through a window!” Sora calls out sweetly but deviously.

The sigh that erupts from the fitting room is deafening and a sign that Sora knows he’s won.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Future-fic, established relationship: Sora and Riku need a new bed.

The bed had been the first thing they put in the house when they moved in. Even without chairs to sit on or a table to eat at, they at least had the bed.

Going on nearly twelve years old, it had seen better days. But those better days were full of memories, good and bad. They had slept in it, eaten in it, been sick in it, argued and laughed and cried in it, made love in it, made important decisions it in it... all manner of things that had helped shape their lives.

“But can’t we just fix it up?” Sora asked, looking forlorn.

Riku gave him a look as he dressed. “Sora, it’s hanging on for dear life. I think it’s time for a new one. Besides, we could get a bigger bed, and one that isn’t so low.”

All practical reasons that didn’t seem to sway Sora in the slightest. Riku walked over to him so they were close enough to embrace and ran two fingers through chestnut hair.

“I’d really like to be in a bed with you without being nervous it’s going to collapse...” Riku said and it seemed to work, Sora’s face and body relaxing into him on instinct.

“Ack, that’s cheating!” Sora protested and gave Riku a soft thump on his chest. “I’m just...”

“A big sentimental, sappy romantic?” Riku offered, and curled his arms around Sora before he get thumped again. He kissed his cheek, letting it linger there for a moment, the soft, warm skin of Sora’s cheek lovely and familiar. “Just let it sink in, okay? You, me, extra big bed... oh, the possibilities.”

Sora groaned but still leaned into Riku’s hold. “Fine! But I’m not going to change my mind, you’ll see.”

“Dad! We’re gonna be late!” Yozora’s voice called out from the hall.

“Coming!” Riku replied over the top of Sora’s head. “Think about it.” And give him a parting kiss on his messy hair.

Sora grunted in response and gave the bed another forlorn look even after Riku had gone.

—

They tried everything. They went to shops on several different worlds, looked through their Gummiphones, nothing appealed to Sora.

It wasn’t until Riku spent a whole day limping from an uncomfortable night’s sleep that Sora told him, “Fine, let’s just get whatever’s best.” With none of the usual flair or enthusiasm he usually showed when he was excited about something. Riku nodded with a frown and told him he’d take care of it.

It wasn’t until a week later, Riku handed him a flat folder tied with a ribbon.

“What’s this?” Sora asked, taking it from him.

“Open it and you’ll see,” Riku said.

Sora did so, slowly tugging the ribbon open and opening the folder. His eyes went a little wide. “This is...”

“Our new bed,” Riku said and stood next to him so he could look inside the folder too. “It should be ready in about eight weeks.”

Sora’s face melted from shock into a broad smile. “But it’s exactly the same as ours!”

Riku laughed and pointed at the page. “Almost, it’s a little bigger and higher so it’s easier to get in and out of. And the mattress is a lot thicker.”

“How did you even?” Sora asked, his blue eyes wide and Riku was reminded how ridiculously in love with him he was.

“Found a master craftsman when we were in Corona,” Riku explained. “I asked if he could recreate it with some adjustments and he could. It costs more than all our furniture put together, but it should look practically the same.”

Sora shut the folder and turned so they were pressed together, chest to chest, only Sora’s arms and the folder between them. “Why did you do this? Go through this much trouble?”

Riku shrugged. “Because getting rid of it was making you so unhappy, and nothing in the world is worse than you being unhappy. So I thought... maybe...”

A kiss was pressed to Riku’s mouth to cut him off. It took a second to get his bearings but when he did he kissed back, a huff of breath from laughing escaping from between their lips.

Sora pulled away first and grinned. “Who’s the big sentimental, sappy romantic now?”

Riku pulled him back in, determined to get another kiss. “I am,” he took the folder and tossed it to the side, onto a table. He kissed Sora again and burned with how pliant and warm his best friend felt against him.

Making Sora happy was the most wonderful feeling in the world and if eight more weeks in a bad bed was the price he had to pay, it would be worth every second.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mostly just written for this hc that I have that Sora has a hard time letting go of stuff because he gets quite attached to them.And Riku tries to facilitate that as best as he can.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Magical guy AU: Sora is a secret magical defender of the innocent and Riku is his unsuspecting boyfriend.

It was a good thing Sora had been known as lazy as a cat since he was little, so now that he was up nights, sneaking out to fight evil no one was really surprised to find him catching up on sleep in the classroom.

Of course, no one knew that was why he was sleeping.

Though he suspected Kairi had an inkling.

“Honestly, it’s our last class,” His best friend said, leaning over in her seat give him a nudge. “Stay awake or I’ll tell Riku you don’t wanna walk home with him.”

Sora turned sharply in his seat, suddenly wide awake. “You wouldn’t!” He hissed.

“Sora!” Their teacher called out and he turned right back. “Seems like you’d like to read the next passage.”

Sora groaned but stood in his seat to read aloud, Kairi’s eyes burning a hole in the back of his neck.

—

“... and then she threatened to tell you I wouldn’t want to walk home with you!” Sora said, looking properly annoyed.

Riku however, just laughed and took Sora’s hand in his own. “Like I’d believe her, she’s a troublemaker for sure. But she keeps you sharp, so I forgive her.”

Sora pouted but gripped Riku’s hand a little harder. “I look forward to this all day.”

“I know,” Riku said and tossed his head gently so that his bangs moved in a way that nearly made Sora swoon. “Me too. My friends always ask me why I’m always right out the door, but it’s none of their business.”

Riku was a year older, a class higher and one of the most popular boys in their school. They’d be friends forever but it wasn’t until high school that Sora realised Riku was his number one person that he liked.

He still couldn’t believe Riku felt the same.

“If your schoolwork’s too much for you, I can help,” Riku offered, and even though Sora was a little embaressed it still made him grip Riku’s hand tighter.

“Don’t worry about me!” Sora replied. “I’ve just been falling asleep a little late. Maybe it’s the weather... or the moon!”

Riku gave him a curious, nearly disbelieving look. “Alright, if you say so,” he condeded with a smile. “But tell me if you need my help. It’s my job to protect you.”

They stopped at Riku’s house, the colorful backdrop of his mother’s handiwork in their garden making Riku seem almost luminescent. “Call me later?”

Sora nodded quickly and leaned up to press his forehead to Riku’s. “I can protect you too, you know,” he said confidently, the Keychain in his pocket resonating. He’d protect Riku from anything. “You’ll see.”

Riku looked left and right and then pressed a quick kiss to the corner of Sora’s mouth. “I don’t doubt it for a minute. Be good. Stay out of trouble.”

With another brilliant smile Riku pulled away and opened the gate to his house.

Sora waited until he was inside before turning to race home. Stay out of trouble, if only Riku knew.

But if he could walk home every day hand in hand with Riku, he could defeat any evil.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really love magical girl anime and let's face it, DDD was practically one.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Canon compliant: variations of kisses.

Cheek

It’s mostly to do with height, but Sora loves stamping kisses on Riku’s cheeks. As a hello, as a goodbye, as a thank you, as aww shut up already. Riku’s face, without fail, goes red as a bowl of tomatoes every single time.

Even if he’s verbally noncommittal about it, his skin always reacts to the warm press of Sora’s mouth against his cheek.

“Mmm mangoes,” Sora says, which incidentally is what Riku’s facewash smells like. Or he’ll giggle at the tickle of very faint, practically invisible stubble.

Sometimes Riku will see them coming and crouch down just enough that Sora doesn’t have to stand on his toes to reach.

Forehead

It’s a Riku thing, and it feels like he’s putting a magic spell on Sora. They’re always soft, always tender and they always linger.

Riku will get the occasional mouth full of chestnut brown hair or hum that Sora needs a shower when he blesses his sweaty forehead.

They’re saying goodbye and Riku cups his face in his hands. “Be very careful,” he kisses him, “don’t go actually looking for any trouble,” and another, “and call me if you need anything.” And another.

“Rikuuu,” Sora whines even if he revels in the attention. “Cut it out!”

“Fine,” Riku says with one last firm kiss to his forehead and a swat from behind as Sora walks away.

Hand

It’s a ball. Riku looks like a fairytale prince, his midnight blue suit perfect and his hair almost iridescent in the lights.

Sora stands at the bottom of the stairs as Riku and one of the Princesses descend.

“I wonder if I could get mine to look at me like that,” the Princess titters and Sora blushes hard at being caught. He can’t help it, Riku’s just really handsome!

Riku laughs and watches her go. “Master Sora,” He says once his attention turns. “You weren’t waiting for me, were you?”

Sora shakes his head, snapping out of his daze. “Of course I was! I can’t go in alone can I?” And before Riku can respond Sora takes one of his hands and presses a lingering kiss on his knuckles.

Riku looks exasperated but there’s a hint of a smile and high color on his cheeks. “I’m not a princess, you know.”

“I know!” Sora replies and then offers his arm. “But you look princely enough to pull it off.”

Mouth

Sora loves kissing. Loves, loves, loves it. He likes hanging in Riku’s embrace, feeling heavy as a stone but light as a feather, his mouth and jaw and cheeks achy but so good.

He lost track of time ages ago, but Riku’s got his strong hands on Sora’s waist and his fingertips edging underneath his shirt and in the waistband of his pants. He couldn’t even really be bothered with time now. Or breathing.

But Riku apparently is, which is silly, because he pulls away with a sigh. “You’re way too good at that.”

“Nice to know I’m good at something,” Sora teases but Riku frowns.

“Don’t say that,” he says and gives Sora another kiss that almost feels as stern as his words. “You’re great. Funny and strong and smart and great and...”

Sora breaks out into peals of laughter. “You’re on a kissing high, you big sap!”

Riku leans down and presses his forehead to Sora’s. “I needed to go ten minutes ago. Mickey’s gonna kill me.”

“Awww, just one more for the road,” Sora gets out the big guns and makes his eyes as wide as possible.

Riku groans and gives him one more and it’s so good it has Sora hanging from his neck like some corseted damsel in one of his trashier adventure books.

When Riku’s hands go right back to his waist Sora grins in triumph. Maybe he is as smart as Riku says.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once more, little to say other than that there are many different kinds of kisses. Sora and Riku demonstrate.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Canon-divergent: Sora loses all his memories post-KH3 and goes back to a normal life. They fall in love anyway.

”Thanks for coming to see me,” Sora says the second Riku sits down. There are a few dried flower petals in his hair. Sora knows they hang a bit low but it’s easier for him to reach.

Riku gives him a nod and Sora thinks the earnest look on his face is sweet.

“Merlin and Master Yen Sid and I...” Sora starts, feeling hesitant. “We decided to stop trying... to get my memories back.”

Riku’s face goes from earnest to heartbroken and straight back to earnest in seconds. If Sora was being honest, the experiments to get his memories back went on for as long as they did because he knew how much it hurt Riku that he couldn’t remember.

“I see,” Riku says, his fingers flexing on the table. “If you think it’s best, I’ll support you. I want you to be happy.”

Sora nods and reaches across the table to wrap his fingers around Riku’s. Riku looks surprised and his fingers jerk in Sora’s warm hold.

“I know you do,” Sora says. “I always feel happy and safe when I’m with you, Riku.”

For all that he couldn’t remember him before the past few months, Sora wonders if Riku knew how much he cared for him. He must have, Sora’s heart feels fit to burst sometimes. Riku’s tall and handsome and kind and funny, even if he can be a little morose or stand offish at times.

He just hopes Riku will still want to be around him, even though he’s not the Sora he knew once.

“Say you’ll come see me... sometimes,” Sora says, full of emotion suddenly. “You give the best tea reviews, Riku!”

Riku draws his hands away and Sora pulls his own back, the warmth lingering when he puts them in his lap and curls them into his apron. He stands and Sora is scared.

Then Riku walks around the table and kneels down in front of him. He puts his hand in his pocket and pulls something out.

In his palm is a necklace, silver shiny chain with a silver crown pendant. It looks so familiar to Sora but he can’t remember why.

“This is yours,” Riku says and holds out the necklace to Sora. “It’s always been yours.”

Sora may not remember a thing but he knows what Riku means.

“I’ll follow you anywhere,” Riku swears. “I’ll protect you from anything,” he takes one of Sora’s hands and puts the necklace in his palm. “And if you ask me to stay with you, I will.”

“But,” Sora says, his hand curling around the necklace. “You can’t give up your whole life to stay with me!” Not when his head is a mess of holes and he’s living a mundane life of serving tea and taking long walks and trying to make new friends.

“I can,” Riku says. He’s every bit the beautiful knight Sora dreams about all the time, whether it’s his own heart’s desire or just a memory. “I will. Where am I supposed to go if you’re not with me?”

May your heart be your guiding key, Master Yen Sid had said to him when Sora had felt lost, without his memories, without a sense of self.

And his heart was like a compass, the needle that had been swirling round and round since the moment he woke up months ago coming to a stop and pointing straight at Riku’s heart.

“Stay with me,” Sora asks him, and he may never want for another thing again.

Riku trembles and leans up, an inch left between them. Sora takes the inch and kisses him, his mouth as soft and loving as the way he looked at Sora.

When he pulls away Sora bites his lip. “I don’t know if that was my first kiss,” he says and Riku grins, his warm fingertips brushing gently over Sora’s cheek. “But it was the best. It has to be.”

Riku wraps his arms around Sora’s hips and lifts him right out of his chair. Now his hair is tangled in the dried flowers. “I have a few things to take care of,” he says.

“But you’ll come back?” Sora asks, his hands on Riku’s face.

“I will,” Riku promises.

The look on Riku’s face, earnest and so overwhelmingly in love, becomes a memory Sora promises to never let go of and never let anyone take from him ever again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More and more hints are dropping that Sora will either have lost his memories again or they'll be tampered with in some way (hopefully in a different way than in CoM) so I had a thought lol what if he never actually gets them back. Hearts in tune will always find each other.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Canon-compliant: When Riku was little, he made a deal with the stars.

The stars speak to Riku, the night they fall and he makes a promise.

They engulf him in light, wooden sword in the sky, blind him for a moment before they imprint into his very being.

_I’ll protect you from anything!_

_I promise!_

Stars don’t take promises lightly and they speak to him and ask him questions.

_Are you sure, Riku of Destiny Islands?_

He holds up his sword and nods. Behind him, his promise looks at him with wide blue eyes, as if Riku were the one shining, not the stars.

_Even if it means you may suffer past the point of bearing?_

Riku is too young to understand but he knows he wants to protect Sora and nothing will stop him from doing so.

_Every promise comes with a price. You will have to pay it one day._

It doesn’t stop him and he crowns Sora with a silver necklace and every heartbeat for every moment after.

He spends his whole life living by his promise, even almost breaks it entirely when the weight of his love nearly crushes him.

The stars watch Riku and every step he takes back into the light.

In a desolate wasteland, they come to him in the darkness of looming death. His crowned love sits in despair behind him and he is the only one who had been brave enough to take up his sword, who never faltered.

_We told you, you would suffer past the point of bearing._

He holds up his sword and tells the stars,

_And I told you, I would for him._

and dies in a swallow of darkness.

...

The stars are not malevolent so while they cannot bring his body back, they let his light shine in the dark.

The first time, the crowned boy cries out for him but without a body Riku cannot respond.

The time after that, the crowned boy no longer thinks it is him. Easily forgotten en passed over as he always feared, Riku continues to shine in the dark.

The stars are not malevolent so they make Riku forget.

There is peace in oblivion.

...

The stars blink awake above Sora, stretching as far as he can see.

Promises are not meant to be taken lightly, and a debt paid must be honored.

_You have suffered past bearing,_ the stars say in the darkness. In a far away world Riku awakens from a dream that feels real.

_We will lead you to him._

Riku remembers.

_You made a promise, Riku of Destiny Islands._

Riku takes the first step.

_And you will for him._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey Nomura, you want to canonize the meteor shower promise already? Cool.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Royalty au: Riku didn't realize he wasn't allowed to be kissing anyone else while he was betrothed. Sora reminds him.

“Ugh, I hate you!”

The sentiment rang out through the gardens but the only response was a scoff.

Sora tore through the many lanes of the gardens, face flushed and eyes watery. Riku follows him with his hands held out.

“How was I supposed to know you were waiting?” Riku shoots back. “It’s just kissing, Sora, don’t be a baby!”

Sora stops, his shoulders hunched. “I am not a baby,” he says in a low voice. “I’m just stupid for thinking you like me as much as I like you, apparently.”

Riku speeds up and walks around until he’s standing in front of Sora. “That’s not true, I... are you crying?”

He hasn’t been but the mention of his impending emotion causes the tears to spill over from Sora’s eyes. “Yes, I’m crying, you jerk!” He cries out and waves balled fists at Riku. “I’m upset!”

For the first time since they’ve known each other Riku looks at a loss for words or action. He just stands there, looking resplendent in the moonlight, his formal wear cutting a fine figure.

Sora scoffs this time. “Mama already told me you might want to be with other people,” Sora says. “And that I should be obedient and accept that.”

Riku takes a step closer to his betrothed.

“But I don’t want that!” Sora says. “I want to be enough for you, I’ve been working really hard on being a good consort! And meanwhile you’re off kissing other people.” He crosses his arms across his chest in a show of vulnerability. “Bet you and those people got a good laugh out of it.”

The gardens lull into silence before Riku steps up close to Sora. “Sora...” he starts, looking a little apprehensive. “I won’t want other people. It was just a couple of kisses... so that when we kiss for the first time I won’t be a total dope and mess it up.”

Sora sniffles and gives Riku a mildly distrusting look. However, Riku continues.

“And you’re wrong,” Riku says and reaches over to take Sora’s hands in his. “I don’t like you.”

The tears that had been trying up returned in full force at the admission. How could Riku write such heartfelt, beautiful letters to Sora, full of promises and poetic sentiments when apparently he didn’t even like him?

“I love you,” Riku confesses.

And the world comes to a grinding halt.

His tears hit the ground and Sora looks up into aquamarine eyes. Riku looks almost as apprehensive as Sora feels. His hands are warm in Sora’s hands, the growing callus on them from being a warrior almost a comforting sensation on Sora’s own skin.

“Really?” Sora asks.

Riku nods and steps closer.

“Really, I do,” Riku says. “I have for ages. And I wanted to have a perfect first kiss with you, because once I kiss you, I’ll never want to kiss anyone ever again.”

Sora, madly in love with his best friend and the heir to the throne of the most powerful world in existence, closes whatever remaining distance between them.

“I love you, Riku,” Sora replies. “I love you, too.”

The smile on Riku’s face is so gentle it makes Sora’s stomach squirm. He knows what’s coming, there’s no way he could make such a fuss - that he’s sure he’ll feel quite silly about later - and talk about love and not be kissed.

Riku has to bend his head, having shot up in length considerably since the last time they saw each other. But once it’s possible he touches Sora’s lips with his own.

Within seconds, Sora is fairly sure he’ll never want to kiss anyone else again. The kiss lingers on long enough for butterflies to erupt in Sora’s stomach.

Riku steers them over to one of the fountains and sits them both down on the edge. The next kiss is a little less confirmation and a little more passion.

When they break apart, Sora sighs.

“You know we’re technically not allowed to be doing this,” Riku says, his thumbs running softly over the back of Sora’s hands. It’s a gentle, comforting gesture. “We’re not even supposed to be out here unchaperoned.”

The last thing Sora can care about now is protocol. He has a lifetime of silly protocol to look forward to, he’s sure they can forego it just this once.

“Kiss me again,” Sora asks. “Before I toss you in this fountain!”

Riku laughs, his head thrown back. “Thought you hated me!”

Sora rolls his eyes. “I already said I love you, that totally negates it! And you know I didn’t mean it...”

Riku leans forward. “Oh well, in that case...”

He kisses Sora again and Sora realises Riku will never kiss another person again, because Riku always keeps his promises. He’s honorable and chivalric like that, and Sora loves him for it.

Sora pushes back and melts into the kiss.

He’s determined to make sure Riku won’t regret promising that.

Judging from the way Riku holds Sora, he has nothing to worry about.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I super duper love writing Royalty au. One day I will write a full length fic of the story of princes Sora and Riku that are set up by their Queen mothers and live happily ever after.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Future-fic, Yozora is their pan dimensional kid AU: Yozora's favourite stuffed Chocobo 'Bo' gets a turn in the washing machine.

Out of the many achievements in Riku’s life, saving a Chocobo farm from being overrun by Heartless is by far one of his greatest. At least, according to Yozora. The Chocobo farmer shakes Riku’s hand so hard it makes him laugh and once the farmer’s wife hears he’s a father she shoves a basket full of baby paraphernalia, all Chocobo themed of course, into his arms in gratitude.

It’s the beginning of a lifetime love of Chocobos for Yozora, even before he knew what they were.

Sora is doubly excited over the basket, and decorates Yozora’s room with it. They have too many things for him, gifts from all the friends and family they had, but still Sora lays the Chocobo printed blanket over the rocking chair, the little Chocobo printed towels on his changing table, the Chocobo printed clothes into the wash so he can wear them first thing and of course, and most importantly, the stuffed Chocobo in the corner of Yozora’s crib.

He pays it no mind at first, until one morning they come inside and Yozora is curled around the stuffed yellow bird.

From that moment on, the two of them are inseparable.

Once Yozora is able to speak he calls the plush Bo and takes it with him everywhere he goes. From strolls outside, to sitting beside him at the dinner table, and Bo even gets a spot on the bathroom counter while Yozora takes a bath.

“Papa?” Yozora asks one day, five years old and full of questions.

Sora comes out of the other room. “What is it?”

Yozora holds out Bo with a worried expression. “Bo looks like he needs a bath. Do you think we could give him one?”

It’s true, the bright yellow of Bo’s plushy body is going a little wane, from being held at all times by both clean and not so clean hands. Sora walks over to his son and crouches down. “He sure does. We could let him go for a spin in the washing machine,” Sora offers.

That puts Yozora immediately on edge. “But… won’t that hurt him?”

Because Yozora had watched the washing machine sometimes, watched the water and suds and clothes inside spin round and round. The idea of subjecting Bo to that made him nervous.

Sora shook his head and leaned to press a kiss to Yozora’s forehead. “It just so happens, I’ve got a magic trick to keep him safe in the washing machine.”

Yozora stands and follows Sora as he walks into Riku and Sora’s bedroom. “Really?!”

“Uh-huh,” Sora says and searches through their walk-in. He pulls out a pillow case, covered in little Chocobos. It had been Yozora’s when he was a toddler and had been washed, folded and set in their closet for safekeeping. Riku had once offered to give it away but the look on Sora’s face had changed his mind quickly. “See! A magic shield especially for protecting Chocobos!”

Yozora looks at him and raises an eyebrow. “Papa, that’s a pillowcase,” he says like Sora is the silliest person in the world for trying to fool him.

“Bet you,” Sora says as he crouches down in front of Yozora. “If we put Bo in here, he’ll come out of the washing machine looking good as new.”

Yozora gives Sora one more discerning look before sighing. He holds Bo close to him tightly, his cheek pressing to the top of Bo’s plush head. “You promise?” Yozora asks, still looking a little worried.

“I promise!” Sora says and holds the pillowcase out again. Yozora puts Bo inside so gently it nearly melts Sora’s heart.

Sora zips the pillow case closed and walks to the room where their washing machine is. “A little soap,” Sora says as he deposits soap into the dispenser. “And in goes Bo…” Yozora reaches in to gently place a pillowcase covered Bo in the machine. Sora gently shuts the door and pats Yozora on the head. “He’ll be just fine. How about a story and a nap?” Sora asks.

Yozora shrugs, looking doubly worried when the machine starts rumbling and water spills in. “You can pick whatever story you like!” Sora offers, picking Yozora up and settling him on his hip. “By the time we’re done, Bo’ll be squeaky clean.”

It takes a glass of Yozora’s favourite juice, two stories and about four hugs to get Yozora to nap, but once he goes down, he’s out like a light.

While he’s sleeping, Sora goes into the washing room and waits the last few minutes as the machine goes through its last spin cycle. He looks down at his watch and decides to set a freshly cleaned but still wet Bo on the kitchen counter by the window so he can dry.

Just in time, Yozora ambles into the kitchen, still rubbing his eyes. “Papa, where’s Bo? The machine’s empty!”

Sora smiles and points at the counter. “Sunbathing.”

Yozora lets out a happy sound and speeds over to where Bo is waiting for him. “He’s so fluffy and yellow again!” Yozora says. “The magic shield worked, just like you said!”

“Home!” Riku’s voice calls out from the doorway.

“In the kitchen!” Sora calls back.

Yozora is far too busy inspecting how clean his best friend is to acknowledge Riku coming in.

“Hello, family,” Riku greets them when he walks into the kitchen. He goes to Sora’s side first and kisses him hello.

Yozora comes speeding up to him, bright yellow companion in his hands. “Daddy, look!” He says happily and holds Bo up to Riku. “Bo got a bath in the washing machine with a special magic shield and now he’s all clean again and it didn’t even hurt him.”

“Oh yeah?” Riku says and leans down to pick both Yozora and Bo up so he can inspect how clean he is. “He does look like very sparkly clean… and oh, he smells so good too!” Yozora giggles and wraps the arm not holding Bo around Riku’s neck to hug Riku. “Got some new pots by the door for the greenhouse, you want to help me put them away?” Riku asks and Yozora nods enthusiastically, always excited to be allowed to help out.

He slides down Riku’s front and dashes off.

“Better put Bo on the couch or he’ll just get dirty again!” Sora calls after him. “What?” He asks when he spots Riku staring at him with an amused expression.

“Special magic shield?”

Sora grins. “I put him in an old Chocobo covered pillowcase.”

Riku laughs and walks up to him again to kiss him on the nose. “So smart.”

Sora turns back to his books and continues writing. “That’s me.”

He swats half heartedly back at Riku when he swats Sora’s hip as he leaves. When he hears Riku and Yozora outside in the garden he looks out of the kitchen and spots Bo sitting on the couch, their eyes meeting.

He grins at the plush Chocobo.”You’re welcome.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I write a lot of married Soriku with Yozora as their pan dimensional kid. It's therapeutic to see them happy. And until Nomura tells us what is up with the weird Riku lookalike, he's free real estate.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Post-Remind: Riku in the aftermath of letting go.

Riku trims his hair every week, every Sunday so it’s the exact length it was when Sora left. If he stays exactly the same, then Sora won’t feel like he’s missed anything when they find him.

But cutting his hair doesn’t change his sore legs which means he’s probably grown a last inch or two, doesn’t change that last soft edge in his face melting away, doesn’t change that his voice stopped breaking and had settled into an even baritone.

He misses Sora like missing a part of himself. Sora made him laugh, gave him purpose, made him feel like he could be himself and that was okay.

Stop giving everything you are to someone else, his mother tells him, because she’s worried about him.

_I can’t help it_ , Riku tells her, _I love him_.

_I love him, I love him, I love him_ , he can finally say out loud.

Riku can control the length of his hair, even though he can’t control anything else, can’t control that he’s moving on without Sora there.

His heart stays in that moment that Sora left. Didn’t tell him goodbye. Didn’t even look for him.

Every story has a background. Wide, painted backdrops on a stage, setting the tone. He can be that. Stand in the back and watch and want.

He stood center stage once and all he did was destroy.

_Tell me about your dreams_ , Fairy Godmother asks him when they’re alone.

Riku wants to cry, wants to give in to Fairy Godmother’s sympathetic gaze. She sees him, finally someone sees him beyond his use or power or place on the board.

_You love him_ , she says.

_Yes_ , he sobs. _But he doesn’t love me_ , he admits.

_You don’t get to make that decision_ , she says.

_He didn’t even say goodbye_ , he says.

_Maybe_ , she says, _his heart couldn’t take that_.

_But what about my heart_ , Riku wonders. _What about my heart?_

Fairy Godmother says nothing.

But Riku brings Sora back.

_You haven’t changed a bit_ , Sora tells him.

_I love you, I love you, I love you_ , his heart longs to say.

_I have changed_ , Riku says instead.

Sora puts his hand in Riku’s and his heart sings.

_Tell me_ , Sora says. Riku realises Sora didn’t say goodbye, because he never left. He was in Riku’s heart, in his dreams.

The background drops, a pile of what used to be, Riku steps center stage and falls into Sora’s blue eyes.

He lets his heart do the talking.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am gonna throw hands if no light if shed on how hard it must have been for Riku in that year while Sora was gone. We got a tiny peek of it in Limit Cut, but if they just brush it off I will be so disappointed. It must have been so hard for him to let Sora go.
> 
> Also, it may have been intentional, but that fact that Sora and Kairi visited everyone but Riku has sat wrong with me ever since.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Canon-compliant, at some point: Riku is a diligent Dreameater, and chills out in Sora's subconscious once all the nightmares are gone.

There’s no doubt in Sora’s mind that he’s in a dream when he wakes. Their surroundings are unfamiliar but still something Sora could imagine he could dream up.

They lay on a mossy bed, surrounded by pools of glittering water, starlight filtering through the tree canopy, the rush of waterfalls and the hum of fireflies surrounded them.

It was too peaceful to be a nightmare, so confusion set in why Riku was there. Sora could tell by now which Riku was which, a figment of his own love addled brain - you always make me so pretty, Riku would say with a blush and a grin - or his real life best friend having dove into Sora’s dreams.

Sora curled in closer to Riku’s hold and lay his head on his chest.

“So squirmy,” Riku says with his eyes still shut. “I’m napping here.”

Sora huffs a laugh and presses his face closer to Riku’s chest, the beat of his heart like a drum against Sora’s face. “Thought I was the napper around here,” Sora replies and moves so their legs intwine.

Riku’s wearing his day clothes, but his feet are bare and there’s something intimate about seeing them like that, even though Sora’s seen him with a lot less on.

“Thought I’d give it a try,” Riku says. “Being a Dreameater is hard work, you know.” He opens one turquoise eye, and in the light they shine a bit, trimmed in silver lashes.

“Didn’t realize I was having a nightmare,” Sora says and leans up to kiss Riku first on his mouth then his chin. “Bet you looked cool as always.”

Riku rolls so he can wrap both arms around Sora and buries his face in Sora’s neck, his lips on Sora’s throat making him squirm and laugh.

“Did the little Komory wings pop out?” Sora asks. He loves those wings on Riku so much. It was usually as far as he got but in one particularly bad nightmare he had watched Riku turn into something almost supernatural, wide colorful wings and fluorescent skin, his silver hair so long it draped across the floor.

He woke up drenched in sweat and heaving after that nightmare, but it could have been so much worse and the image of Riku as a fully transformed Dreameater lingered in his mind, brought a flush to his cheeks, for days afterward.

“They might’ve,” Riku says and gives him another kiss. “So what’s the deal, I usually get booted after taking care of a nightmare. And we’re in your happy place and everything.”

Sora runs a slow hand through Riku’s hair and over the side of his face. “Guess my dreams have gotten used to you being around.”

Riku leans into the touch and hums at the attention. His eyes turn swiftly, mauve even more stark against his lashes and skintone.

“I could stay here forever, you know,” Riku says and it still makes Sora a little shy sometimes, when Riku is particularly intense with his affection. “Feels like you’re everywhere. It’s the nicest feeling in the world.”

Sora presses his forehead to Riku’s.

“What do I feel like?” He asks, and if they press any closer to one another Sora thinks they might merge into one.

Riku hums again and tucks his head underneath Sora’s chin, who holds Riku in the cradle of his arms like he’s something precious and fragile and not his big, broad shouldered boyfriend.

He supposes Riku can be a little of both.

“Warm,” Riku says. “Welcoming. Safe.”

Sora presses a little closer and grins. “You’re always welcome to come take a nap in my subconscious,” he says and presses his cheek to the top of Riku’s head.

“Good,” Riku says, like he already knew that but still likes to hear Sora say it. Like they know they love each other but there’s still a burst of butterflies in their stomachs when it’s said out loud. “Gonna hold you to that.”

Sora says nothing and is sure he will.

The dream world around them stays serene and magical, the light dancing in the darkness like they’re underwater.

Sora hopes morning is awhile away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just really need more Riku being an active Dreameater, and I like writing fluffy prose.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Post-canon: Sora really likes being in Riku's room.

Riku’s room is like Riku himself, tidy and fairly bare at first glance, but if one looks a little closer there are details that give away the depth of his personality.

He’s neat, but leaves socks under the bed because he forgets they’re there. There’s a little plant on his bedside table he received as a gift and a stack of books he likes to read. The cylinder shaped pillow on his bed is at the foot, now that he has Sora to curl around so he can sleep on his side.

There’s a corkboard on a desk across from his bed, sheets of paper pinned to it: spells written down, a drawing a child from a world he helped out, a few pictures, schedules and letters. The pictures all feature others, except for one of Riku and Naminé on the steps of the Twilight Town station. There’s one of Sora looking to the side, the light making his face appear dreamlike, tacked to the board with a heartshaped pin.

Sometimes, Sora opens Riku’s drawers and runs his fingers through the neat, small stacks of Riku’s clothes. Touches his things in the bathroom, the bottle of hair oil, the jar of aloe gel. In the kitchen there are mugs and plates that belong to him, premade meals he eats.

Sora realizes Riku took the plunge and carved out a life for himself while he was gone. That realization leads Sora to another, that somehow without ever noticing, it was the first time Riku hasn’t shaped his life around Sora.

It makes him proud but it brings him shame. He took his best friend for granted in some way and even though Sora knows Riku would never in a million years admit it, it hurt him sometimes.

A whole mess of emotions draws into Sora’s core and he’s so aware of how much love he feels for Riku. Anyone who would ever dare suggest Riku wasn’t the most wonderful person Sora knows he is, could meet the business end of his Keyblade.

Riku breaks Sora’s chain of thought and walks into the room. He wears dark blue pants with a white shirt over top, casual and light.

“Munny for your thoughts?” Riku asks, a small smile on his face.

Sora says nothing, just walks right up to him and puts his arms around his best friend.

Said best friend gives a small sound of surprise, before wrapping his arms around him to return the hug. Sora knows Riku likes it when he gives him unexpected affection. He’s soft and sweet and romantic and brave and strong and just a little bit afraid to ask for things he wants or losing the things he has, all wrapped into one big, beautiful package.

Sora closes his eyes and doesn’t respond. He knows Riku will nudge him, get an answer out of him. It takes Riku more courage and guts to reach out and care than most people, but when he does, he does it wholly and never lets go.

_I love you, I love you, I love you,_ Sora’s hearts beats out a silent code to Riku’s.

Riku’s heart responds in kind.

It always has.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Riku carving out an existence in the year Sora was gone and Sora being in awe and proud of that is my jiggity-jam. Riku deserves to have a life outside of constant vigilance and duty.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Post-canon: If Sora's going to go somewhere, Riku should just go along with him.

In a perfect world, Riku would be here forever.

In his own bed, that he bought with his own munny, in the sleepwarm sheets he picked out, in the small room he’s been living in that for the first time in years makes him feel slightly normal.

The fact that Sora is next to him, rumpled and sleepy and perfect, is a bonus so wonderful Riku can’t measure it.

Sora is on his knees facing Riku, while Riku lays flat on the bed. He has a hand on Sora’s waist, because he can just do that sort of thing now, and Sora runs a hand absentmindedly up and down Riku’s arm.

“Can’t believe how early I have to go,” Sora says, the prelude to a pout on his face.

Riku laughs and gives his waist a gentle squeeze. “You’ll be fine when you get there,” Riku says. “You were saying the other day how much you missed Donald and Goofy.”

Something happens in Riku’s brain when Sora shifts and sits on one hip, pressed to Riku’s hips. All those micro movements that set off tiny currents in Riku’s brain - his eyelashes when he blinks, the line of his neck when he reaches up to scratch below his ear, the way his legs flex walking up stairs - totally mundane things but they make Riku want to melt into Sora.

“It’ll be nice to see them!” Sora says but then he frowns. “But does it have to be so early?”

When Sora leans down and curls up against Riku’s chest, Riku’s arms move on instinct and wrap around him.He can feel Sora relax instantly, like Riku’s arms are a trigger for Sora’s body that he’s safe and he can let his guard all the way down.

“You’ll be fine,” Riku says and because he’s daring when he wants to be, “I’ll miss you.”

Sora looks up at him and smiles. “Me too!” Sora says. “I’ll send you loads of pictures.”

Riku nods. “Good,” he says and kisses Sora.

Kissing Sora is easy now, but no less exciting and wonderful. The first time they did Riku cried and Sora kept kissing him until his tears dried up and he was only smiling.

“You could come with me,” Sora says like a secret against Riku’s mouth. It strikes Riku in a way he doesn’t expect and a younger Riku who wanted nothing more than just that but was constantly afraid of never getting it cries out triumphantly.

“Yeah?” Riku asks, reaching up to brush his fingers through Sora’s brown hair.

“I always want you to come with me,” Sora says so matter of factedly it shakes Riku to the core. “And Goofy really likes it when you join us.”

Riku tugs him close, a little overwhelmed by emotions. “Okay,” he says. “But only if I get to sit next to you in the Gummiship.”

“Deal!” Sora shouts, his face so bright it’s like he swallowed a box of fireworks.

Riku can handle getting out of bed and spending time with Donald Duck, if it means spending that time with Sora.

It’s still not a perfect world, but it’s close enough for him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After everything, there's really no reason for them to be apart. I quite like them having their own lives outside of each other but also let the spend some time together, okay. Also, Riku and Donald absolutely bicker the entire way there.


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Royalty au: newly wed Royal couple makes headline news by going for a walk around town.

It’s the first time they’re out and about. No chaperones, no parents, not even any guards. Riku managed to convince his own guard that they’d be fine and wouldn’t be away long.

The King was certain to have an opinion about it when they returned, but he had an opinion about everything where Sora was involved.

But now they were married and that meant the whole nonsense protocol of not being allowed to be alone together was out the window.

In fact, Riku spent every free moment he had trying to get Sora to himself.

So Sora put on his absolute best outfit, without looking like he put too much effort into it. It was the first time the people outside the castle would see them together and up close.

Riku looks dashing as he always does and Sora hangs on his arm with both of his own.

“My favorite nanny growing up,” Riku said as they walked down the smooth cobblestone streets of Scala ad Caelum. “She would take me to a different shop once a week when we went out for a walk with mother,” there was a catch in Riku’s voice at his own mention of his mother and Sora squeezed his arm a little tighter. He cleared his throat. “Anyway, I’ll show them to you.”

Sora nods with fervor. “Yes, please... oh, good afternoon!” He greets a few ladies who curtsy to them on the street. They look a bit surprised to be greet so familiarly but smile wide regardless.

There’s a smile on Riku’s face when Sora looks up at him. “What?”

Riku laughs. “You’re going to have this whole kingdom wrapped around your finger in a matter of weeks,” he says.

Sora scoffs but leans up to kiss Riku’s cheek. As they walk down the streets Sora greets everyone that crosses their path. Riku stays silent but he switches between smiling at the people and at his new husband.

“Ah look,” Riku says and directs them to a shop. The white stone walls are decorated with a golden sign that tells them it’s a tailor. “My mother had some of her gowns made here...”

The owner of the shop greets them at the door, a small woman with mousy blonde hair in a bun and a button nose. “Your Royal Highnesses...” she says breathlessly and curtsies low. “What a great honor!”

Sora lets go of Riku’s arm. “Riku says you made clothes for the Queen... you must be very good!”

The tailoress looks mildly surprised for a moment to hear Sora use Riku’s given name so freely but she composes herself quickly. “Dressing Her Majesty was an honor beyond measure,” she says. “She was truly the most beautiful and kindest of queens.”

Sora nods and looks around the shop. “You have such lovely things,” he says. “I like lots of colors, and everyone here wears so many layers.”

“His Royal Highness looks very dapper in Scalan fashion, I must say,” she says. Sora looks down at his outfit and gives her a bashful smile. “But, if I may... “ she walks around her counter and rummages in the drawer.

Riku moves from behind Sora and begins to sift through the stacks of vibrantly colored, luxurious looking fabrics.

The tailoress rejoins them and holds something out. “Your Royal Highness, a Scalan noble outfit isn’t complete without a pin.”

The pin in her hand is a long dark silver, the color of Sora’s necklace almost, topped with a silver orb, a shining blue jewel set in the metal.

“Wow!” Sora cries out. “It’s so beautiful...” he holds the pin back out to her. “Next time I’ll definitely bring some money so I can buy it.”

She reaches out and uses both hands to close Sora’s around the pin. Riku eyes them from across the shop. Commoners aren’t allowed to touch members of the Royal family, something this woman likely knows very well having served his mother, but he understands how infectious Sora’s bright, happy energy is. It’s hard not to be drawn to him.

“Oh no, I wouldn’t dream of it,” she says. “A wedding gift, Your Royal Highness. Our Crown Prince has been blessed with such a kind and noble consort.”

Sora blushes and looks down at the pin in his hand. Before he can open his mouth to protest again, Riku joins them.

“What a lovely gift, my love,” he says. He takes the pin and fastens it expertly to Sora’s coat. The cobalt blue is almost the exact color of his eyes. “Thank you, my lady.”

Both the tailoress and Sora are blushing, as Sora echoes Riku and showers her in gratitude and admiration. “We’ll definitely come back to have some clothes made...” Sora scuffs his boot against the floor. “My wardrobe’s a little pitiful now.”

She bows her head. “Please come whenever you please, Your Royal Highness, I’m entirely at your disposal.”

Riku guides him from the shop with a hand on the small of Sora’s back as his husband continues to thank the woman profusely.

“Your people are going to spoil me,” Sora says, still looking a little shy once they’re outside again. The afternoon sun glitters on the buildings around them.

Riku offers him his arm and they start walking again. Sora points out how many people are wearing pins on their lapels, even stopping to admire a few.

By the end of the afternoon, they’re laden in gifts. Sweets, flowers, a silk scarf and a scent dabbed on Sora’s throat that has Riku leaning in to surreptitiously kiss his cheek and whisper how good he smells. There’s promises of more, bedlinnen with flowers and seashells that remind Sora of home to be delivered to the castle, a warm blanket for Sora’s Chocobo to sleep under, half a dozen brand new books that they used to read together when they were children.

As they walk back to the castle, Sora sighs and leans his whole body into Riku’s side, his head against his shoulder.

“What a day,” Sora says. “But it was so much fun! We should do this every week, I want to see all of Scala and meet everyone.”

Riku leans down and kisses him for what feels like the hundredth time that day. “If I don’t take you out for a walk at least once a week, we might have a riot on our hands.”

Sora laughs and gives Riku a playful shove.

“I told you,” Riku says. “You’ve got them all wrapped around your finger already.” He reaches down and adjusts Sora’s new pin so the sapphire blue stone catches the light the right way. “Don’t really blame them, you got me first.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another Royalty au: Riku is the crown prince of the Scala ad Caelum throne and Sora is the prince of Destiny Islands. Of course, all the population adore him at first sight.


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Future-fic, Yozora is their pan dimensional kid AU: Sora, Riku and Yozora get the house ready for a big storm.

“Alright, got the shutters down in all thd other rooms and everything that can break in cabinets,” Riku says when he walks into their sitting room.

Sora is putting down bedding, their own large mattress on the floor by the couch. Yozora’s dark blue covers, little Mickey emblems in bright colors all over, are already made up on the couch. Koko has already claimed the spot to keep it warm until Yozora joins her.

“How come we have to sleep in here?” Yozora asks from the window where he’s watching the rain, Bo in the crook of one arm.

Riku walks over to the windowsill and sits down next to him. What had started as a drizzle in the morning was now a heavy rainfall, bordering on torrential.

He remembers the first year living there and how Aqua had warned them about storm season. They had both shrugged. They’d been through their share of storms and their houses on Destiny Islands weren’t even close to as sturdy as the castle in the Land of Departure was.

“Because,” Riku says. “There’s going to be a really big storm later, and it’s safer to sleep a little further away from the windows.”

Yozora looks up at him with wide eyes. “In case they break?”

“That’s right,” Riku says. “In the middle of the room here, even if they break we’ll be fine.”

It only seems to comfort Yozora a little because his expression is still worried. “But... Koko likes to sleep by the window,” Yozora says, looking at their cat on the couch, who is calmly watching Sora work. “I don’t want her to get hurt.”

Riku runs a hand through Yozora’s hair. “I think she’ll sleep right there with you and Bo,” he says in a comforting tone. “She’s asmart cat.”

“Alright!” Sora says, joining them by the window. “Time to get ready for bed,” he says to Yozora. “We’re gonna have a big sleepover!”

Yozora still looks mildly worried and flinches at the sound of thunder outside.

“Ahh, honey,” Sora says and puts an arm around Yozora. “It’s just the weather, just wind and water and air. We’re completely safe in here!”

Yozora puts his free arm around Sora’s neck and clings to him a little. Riku and Sora’s eyes meet. Riku leans over and puts a hand on Yozora’s back.

“You go get ready for bed and when you come back, I’ll tell a really good story,” Riku offers.

“And I’ll make us some hot chocolate,” Sora adds. “It’ll be like we’re camping.” He picks Yozora up and sets him down on the ground. “Sound good?”

Yozora nods, looking much happier at the prospect of hot chocolate and a story. He dashes off in the direction of the washroom.

“I actually really like storm season,” Sora says, stepping into Riku’s hold. He kisses him. “It’s kind of exciting.”

Riku grins and claims a kiss of his own. “It’s all fun and games until we’ve been cooped up in here for a week,” he says. He runs his hands over Sora’s side and nuzzles Sora’s neck with a sigh. “You smell fantastic.”

“Sweaty and dirty?” Sora asks with a raised eyebrow.

Riku shakes his head. “Mmm, no,” he goes in for another sniff which makes Sora laugh and squirm. “Like coconut oil and woodsmoke...”

“Think that’s the oil I used on my cast iron pans,” Sora says, cuddling a little closer.

They laugh and kiss some more, the rain a heavy drumbeat against the windows.

“Eww,” Yozora says to mark his return. He’s in his pajamas, hair neatly brushed and face scrubbed clean. Even Bo looks a little more presentable.

“What ‘eww’?” Sora says turning in Riku’s hold to look at his son when he rejoins them.

“Kissing’s gross,” Yozora says but shouts when he’s swept up in Sora’s arms.

“Oh yeah?!” He says before releasing an onslaught of affection on Yozora’s face, tickling his stomach and legs. Yozora shouts and laughs hysterically, gasping for breath when Sora relents.

Riku tucks him arms around them and gives them a kiss each. “I’m gonna get ready too,” he says. “There’d better be hot chocolate when I get back!”

Sora rolls his eyes and carries Yozora into the kitchen. He’s almost too big to be carried around like this but Sora clings a little to his son and wishes he wouldn’t grow up quite so fast.

Later, once the stories are told and the hot chocolate is all gone, Riku turns down the lights. It’s much earlier than their usual bedtime, but he doesn’t mind.

Sora is asleep within minutes, tucked into Riku’s side, snoring into his armpit.

He can feel Yozora’s nervous energy up on the couch intensify everytime the room is illuminated with a flash of light and a roll of thunder from outside.

So he reaches up and behind him and offers his hand without saying a word.

The moment Yozora wraps his own hand around Riku’s, he’s transported back to the moment Yozora first wrapped his hand oround Riku’s, only back then the most Yozora could manage was a finger or two, his tiny baby hands the smallest thing Riku had ever held.

He tries to convey through his grip without speaking, I’d never let anything harm you, not ever, and even though he knows his arm will be an aching mess the next morning at this angle he holds on.

Yozora’s hand relaxes in his when he finally drifts off to sleep.

Riku keeps it up there, just in case.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just some domestic cuteness. Yozora is quite afraid of the storm, but luckily Riku and Sora grew up on a tropical island so they've seen worse. Koko is their magic, ages at the same rate as they do, cat.


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Post-canon: Sora, Riku and making wishes come true.

It happens much quieter than Riku expects. He hadn’t expected it to happen at all but there came a day he notices Sora’s hand lingering, spending all his free time with Riku, looks that linger until Riku feels that tingle of being stared at and turns to meet blue eyes.

“The food here isn’t great,” Sora confides in him over lunch, leaning in like he’s telling a secret. Before Riku leans back in he notices Kairi looking from a few spaces down, her smile a little too knowing for Riku’s taste.

“That’s because you’re a great chef now,” Riku replies and Sora beams. “You’ve ruined your tastebuds for regular people food.”

The compliment makes Sora’s face bloom like a flower in seconds, rosy flush spreading over his face, sparkling joy in his eyes. Riku’s so in love with him it hurts.

Riku hates getting his hopes up. He’s sure there’s something, but Sora’s always been friendly and tactile and they’re closer friends than ever.

“I still can’t believe you did that,” Sora says one day, while they’re taking a break. Riku looks at him and raises an eyebrow. “You just walked straight towards that storm of Heartless... weren’t you scared?”

Riku wants to say no. But just because he had been confident in his will to protect Sora didn’t mean he hadn’t been terrified. He knew he couldn’t win. He knew that likely endless darkness was all that awaited him. He remembers the horrified silence in his mind, the sweat on his neck turning cold, the finality that he was going to die.

“I was,” Riku admits. “But... I wanted to protect you. I promised a long time ago that I always would. Broke that promise too many times, I couldn’t live with breaking it again.”

Sora swallows audibly and then hangs his head. “And I forgot. I forgot that you made me that promise. I forgot you were scared and you protected me anyway.”

Riku loves Sora enough to see him as he is, even the darker parts of him. But if one single truth there is in Riku’s life, is that Sora would never hurt a friend on purpose.

“That wasn’t your fault,” Riku reassures him and longs to touch him. He doesn’t, just like he never does. “You know it wasn’t.”

Riku thinks Sora’s Keyblade should be called Braveheart, because he does what Riku never dares and wraps his arms around him, strong body pressed up against Riku’s.

“I won’t forget again, I promise,” Sora says, softly. Riku puts his own arms around him. “Fairy Godmother told me when we got back that you made a wish to save me, and because your heart’s so strong it came true.”

Sora pulls away from Riku, arms still around his shoulders. Riku’s face feels like it’s burning, his eyes downcast. “If I could make a wish,” Sora continues, because he can’t read a room for the life of him and never stops. “I’d wish for Riku to tell me what’s been in his heart.”

The hands on his shoulders lift up and cup Riku’s cheeks, his eyes lifting to meet Sora’s. “Is it me? Because I was kind of hoping it was.”

He can’t lie to Sora. Not even if this moment is scarier than losing everything, everlasting darkness or even dying.

So he lets his heart speak for him and it nods, brave and true.

Sora’s face looks like it did before, when he complimented him, like Riku had given him something magical.

“Ah Riku,” Sora says and presses his forehead to Riku’s, and Riku reaches up to take Sora’s wrists in his grasp. “First you make me these promises and then you make my wishes come true.” Sora leans in because he’s still the braver of them and kisses Riku’s mouth so quickly and gently it’s like it barely happened. “I won’t ever forget, I promise.”

Riku’s heart lets go and his body follows and he wraps Sora up in his arms so he can kiss him again and again, like he’s wanted to for years. They feel like promises and wishes and dreams all at the same time.

Sora meets him halfway and makes them all come true.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fairy Godmother was such a good addition to canon, I really can't wait to see what else they do with her. And adding her and her skills in to make it romantic is super fun.


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Post-canon: Sora is a coffee snob and learns to admit when it gets to be too much.

The ice cubes in Sora’s glass clink against the sides. For a moment Riku is mesmerized by how big Sora’s hands are compared to his otherwise more compact stature.

“What?” Sora asks because he is the antithesis of a morning person. He’s grumpy and slow to respond, but Riku doesn’t really mind and isn’t afraid to snap back if Sora gets too crabby with him. He has a lifetime of practice after all.

“Drink your coffee, Sora,” Riku says. “I’m just looking at you.”

The tension drops right out of Sora and his shoulders slump. “Sorry, I had such a shit sleep,” he says. His knee has been bothering him for days and instead of going to see their physio in San Fransokyo, he pulled on his brace and tried to tough it out.

Riku sighs. “You can wake me up if you’re feeling bad,” he says. “Does it still hurt?”

Sora takes a sip of his coffee and stretches his leg out. Even from across the little table at the café in Traverse Town they’re sitting at, Riku can hear his knee pop. Riku reaches out a hand and lets it hover over Sora’s knee.

“Can I?” Riku asks casually and Sora nods.

Riku kindly says nothing when Sora puts his chin on his hand and blinks away any building emotion in his eyes. He does put a gentle hand on Sora’s knee and casts a low level healing spell on it, just to take the edge off.

“We’ll give the physio a call,” Riku offers when the mystical green light of his magic filters away. “Maybe he can fit you in this week.”

Sora tucks his chin to his chest and nods. He’s clearly in need of a little comforting so Riku steps over, crouches in front of him and puts an arm around him. He can smell Sora’s coffee and his soap and how his breath hitches.

“People are looking,” Sora mumbles. It’s a testament to how poorly he must feel because he usually doesn’t care at all if people are looking, kind of enjoys being in the spotlight really.

Riku shrugs and gives him a kiss on the cheek. “So? You want a donut?” He asks and stands.

Sora looks up at him and gives a shy nod.

“Okay,” Riku says and before he can walk into the café to get him a donut, Sora grabs his jackets and pulls Riku towards him so they’re face to face.

“Love you a lot,” Sora says and gives him a kiss that tastes like his fancy cold coffee. It’s gratitude in it’s purest, most wonderful form, that sits soft and warm in Riku’s stomach.

The kiss breaks and Riku smiles at him. “Love you a lot,” he echoes. “I’ll get the physio on the phone, you finish your coffee.”

He pulls out his phone and walks back into the café, pulling up the number and letting it ring.

When he promised to protect the person most precious to him, Riku hadn’t thought of comforting him after a bad night’s sleep, or buying donuts or pushing Sora to take care of himself but it feels right. It won’t end up in legends or novels, not like sacrificing himself on a battlefield or facing off a faceless evil to keep Sora safe.

But Riku sets down the colorful donut in front of Sora and tells him when his appointment is.

The flush that spreads over Sora’s cheeks when Riku smiles at him is worth writing about as far as he’s concerned but for now Riku drinks his own coffee and keeps the moment for himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know he's protected by canon Disney magic, but there's no way Sora does all the stuff he does without walking away with some permanent damage. Sometimes you gotta let people take care of you and buy you donuts.


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Post-canon: an excerpt from a full-length fic I'm writing wherein Riku gets his wrist fixed and Sora learns that, while the power of friendship is great, everything about that's great really comes from within.

“Hey, no,” Riku said once he’d swallowed a mouth of spicy noodles. It leaves a speck of red sauce on the corner of his mouth that Sora longs to wipe away with his thumb. “You should go out and have fun.”

Sora didn’t know why, but he felt a strange pressure. He wasn’t a shy person but the idea of Riku in the hospital while he was out having fun felt wrong.

“But that’s not fair,” Sora said, picking up his chopsticks but no food. “I can’t go out and have fun without you.”

Riku gave him a look. “Of course you can,” he said. “You can find some new spots for us to check out together. We always go to the same places.”

The nerves in his stomach intensified, Sora never saw himself as someone who went out and had fun on his own. He liked having the energy of other people to bounce off of.

Still, Riku looked at him like he insisted. He knew Riku went out by himself all the time. They lived deeply intertwined but often seperate lives, so when they were together it was an immediate connection at the hip but otherwise, they learned to make do with long distance. Riku made do by entertaining himself. Sora made sure wherever he went there was someone he knew.

He reached out and swiped the red spot from the corner of Riku’s mouth. The flush that appeared on Riku’s face was kind of sweet.

“Alright!” Sora said brightly. “Bet you a thousand munny it’ll be really boring, though.”

Riku took a sip of his horrendous strawberry milk and gave Sora a rogueish grin. “I’ll take that bet,” he said. “You’re a really fun guy, you know. It’s high time you figured that out.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Been working on this fic for a while but writing full-length fits is going at a glacial pace due to stress and anxiety (what's good Corona) but please look forward to that someday soon! The fic takes place in San Fransokyo, where I'm pretty sure there'd be modern hospitals that could fix Riku's wrist for him.


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Witcher au: Sora is a Witcher and Riku is a sorcerer.

“You’re the silliest witcher I’ve ever met,” Riku murmurs against Sora’s mouth, half a kiss forming between them. In the early morning light his yellow eyes are a muted amber.

Sora chuckles and kisses him for real, deep and slow. When he pulls back he hums. “You say that like you’ve met a lot.”

Riku opens his eyes a little further and smiles back at him. Sora’s halfway dressed, breeches still half buttoned and the collar of his tunic loose and open.

“Met my fair share,” Riku says, sounding both coy and dry at the same time. “None as silly as you.”

Sora laughs again and kisses him quickly. “Take that as a compliment.”

He turns to continue to dress and Riku sits up, still naked under the sheets, to watch him. A burst of scar tissue, like lightning, runs down Sora’s throat, disappearing underneath his tunic. Riku knows how far down the scar goes, knows all the other scars on his body, from the light ones to the ones that look like they still hurt.

“You’re the prettiest sorcerer I’ve ever met,” Sora says, tightening his leather armor. “Met a fair few myself but uh, they were all either old and grumpy or up to no good.”

Riku scoffs and raises an eyebrow. “And you think I’m not up to no good?”

Sora grins and for someone who looks like he’s seen untold horrors and gone through immense pain, he’s charming and almost boyish.

“Oh, I know you’re up to no good,” Sora says. “But you’re always honest with me, I can feel it.”

Lying to Sora never seemed worth it. Riku had learned easily that if he wanted something from the witcher, all he had to do was ask.

“Hard to imagine you as any less beautiful as you are now,” Sora adds, watching shamelessly when Riku stands from the bed, bare for all the world to see.

“Hard to imagine you without your cat eyes and white hair,” he disappears behind a dressing screen and walks back out dressed and neat like he hadn’t just stepped out of bed. “Let me guess... blond hair and cornflower blues?”

One sword is strapped to Sora’s back. “Nope,” and reaches for the other one. “Brown hair. Like mud. You’re right about the blues... at least, I think they were blue. It’s been awhile.”

“I’m sure you were very sweet,” Riku tries to imagine a regular looking boy, muddy hair and cornflower blues.

“Wouldn’t have met you,” Sora says, and crosses the room to sink his lovely scarred fingers into the soft black silk of Riku’s clothes. “Worth the strange looking eyes and...”

“Horrific agony you went through to get them?” Riku offers and lets himself be pulled into the witcher’s arms.

But Sora is Sora and he just nods with another grin. “I told you, you’re the prettiest sorcerer I’ve ever met. Worth every minute to spend a minute with you.”

Riku rolls his eyes but his face warms.

“Path’s calling,” Sora says and he leans up to press himself to Riku, the unbearably slow thump of his heart making Riku’s seem like it was going a mile a minute. “Love you, Riku.”

Riku kisses him because he wants nothing more in the world and misses him already, even though he’s still in Riku’s arms. “Love you too, witcher.” He says like a promise.

He presses his fingers to that lightning burst scar and holds Sora to him for a little while longer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The only variant of yellow-eyed, white haired Sora I accept. I'm just a huge Witcher fan, so I decided to mix it up.


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Post-Remind: Riku picks up Namine in the Gummiship.
> 
> Very lightly implied Replinami.

Naminé is silent when she sits down next to Riku in the Gummiship.

“You shouldn’t have let him do it,” she says finally. “He deserved to have a life just as much as I did. Probably more. He suffered... alone and in darkness, because of me.”

Riku sighs but the only tell of emotion is how his knuckles lighten as they curl tighter around the controls of the ship.

“He loved you,” Riku says.

Naminé turns her head to look out the window.

“Because I said he did,” Naminé says. “It wasn’t real.”

Even without looking at him, Naminé knows Riku has tensed up. He’s different than the last time she saw him, not as tortured, not as buried in guilt. But he still carries the world on his shoulders with no intention of asking for help to share the burden, lighten the load.

“Don’t say that,” Riku admonishes her but it’s kind. She had never believed he was unkind, just lost and hurt. “It was real to him. You were more important to him than anything. Please,” and there’s an undertone of desperation now. “Don’t say that it wasn’t real and take that away from him.”

Naminé turns in her seat and a tear slides down her cheek. “You shouldn’t have let him do it!” She repeats. “He deserved to live. He deserved to know love, real love. To laugh and make friends and cry and... I’m nobody. I was were I was meant to be.”

She cries in earnest, her hand pressed flat to her mouth. Riku doesn’t attempt to comfort her, doesn’t reach out to her.

“If there’s one thing I’ve learned since leaving home,” Riku says in lieu of a hand on her shoulder of a kind look. “Is that it takes a lot for someone to be really gone. So he could still be out there.”

Naminé lets her hand drift to her lap.

“I have to believe that,” Riku says. “I have to. Because I know how he feels. To love someone, love them with every last part of you... that’s what made him real. What makes me real. Even if the things we love don’t love us back.”

He turns to Naminé and she can almost see his soul alongside his heart, aquamarine eyes baring a sadness she’s not sure he’s shown anyone.

“So I’m going to honor his memory,” Riku says. “By doing whatever I can to bring back the person that’s most precious to me. Because he had no name, no family, no friends... but he had love.”

There’s no reference for Naminé to go on. She understands comfort and sympathy but in her short existence all she’s known is to see people as cogs in a machine, pieces on a game board.

So she feels deeply as she’s able and reaches over to place her hand in the crook of Riku’s elbow.

They don’t say another word until they arrive.

When she closes her eyes she sees a memory that might not be hers, and holds it in her hand like it could be born anew in the cradle of her grasp.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I super appreciate Nomura and team making Namine's smile slightly sadder at the infamous pick-up scene. I think both Namine and Riku would very sad in that moment, for varying reasons.


	20. Chapter 20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Future-fic, Yozora is their pan dimensional kid: Sora and Riku and date night.

Date night didn’t happen often, but Sora had insisted. An anniversary of some kind? Neither of them were sure.

Sora just shouted that he’d found a babysitter and held Yozora out like a bag of flour for a goodbye kiss, who just giggled and let himself be fussed over, nonplussed at being manhandled by one of his fathers.

Yozora waved at Riku from over Sora’s shoulder. “Shower and fancy time, Riku!” Sora shouted on his way out.

Riku gave himself three minutes to stand in their sitting room feeling deeply confused before heading to the shower.

He wasn’t sure what Sora meant with fancy time but he donned a tight black turtleneck and his best gray pants. He’d polished his dressy loafers week ago so he slipped those on.

In the distance he heard the front door open and Sora rushing in.

“Will you calm all the way down, Sora,” Riku said more than asked as he did his hair.

Sora poked his head in the bathroom and growled. “You look hot,” he said, ignoring Riku’s instructions entirely. “We’re going to San Fransokyo. Make sure you smell good.”

Riku gave himself a confused look in the mirror as Sora had already left. “What does how I smell have to do with anything?”

Sora’s voice rang out from their walk-in. “Because I want people to not only see you and think ‘damn, that is one fine man’ but also smell you and think ‘damn, he smells good,” he joined Riku in the bathroom in dark blue pants and a white shirt that made his tattoos pop right off his tan skin, crown necklace shiny on his chest. “And then they’ll think ‘damn, that man is smart to have snapped him up’ about me.”

“And thus the circle is complete,” Riku said, putting a little cologne on. He walked into their bedroom and watched bemusedly as Sora darted around turning off the lights and locking up.

“Okay, let’s go, portal away,” Sora said, putting his arms around Riku’s shoulders.

“Do I get to know where you took our son?” Riku asked, a portal already forming around them.

Before they disappeared Sora gave him a charming smile and said, “Nope!”

——

San Fransokyo was one of the few worlds they knew of that was actually livelier once the sun went down.

At first they went to a nightmarket, eating several different kinds of local delicacies. Sora twined his fingers around Riku’s and tugged him along. They sat and laughed with some of the other patrons.

“I know you’ll like this,” Riku said, holding up a powdery dough ball that Sora set his teeth into without a moment’s hesitation. Sora shut his eyes and moaned.

“That’s amazing,” He said. “Everything we’ve eaten so far has been amazing.”

Riku wiped his fingers on a napkin and took a sip of his beer. “Not that I’m not having a good time, but did we really put on our Sunday best for food stalls?”

Sora shrugged and took a sip of Riku’s beer, his own glass already empty.

“Just wanted to get dressed up,” Sora said. “But I also got us on the list of that club we went to last time we were here. The one with the really bad cocktails but really good music.”

“Those cocktails were definitely disgusting,” Riku agreed and put his arm around Sora’s shoulder. He leaned in and pressed a kiss to his jaw. “You’re gorgeous,” he murmured into Sora’s ear and grinned when Sora squirmed but didn’t pull away.

“Silly flirt,” Sora replied, his face flushed from the heat of the busy nightmarket and the attention. “Buy me another beer.”

——

The club gave them a once over before letting them in. Sora trailed after Riku, his hand around Riku’s wrist so he didn’t lose him in the crowd.

On most worlds Riku’s height and silver hair made him easy to find but San Fransokyo was a sea of different colored heads, of all shapes and sizes.

The thump of the music came at them from all directions once they entered the dance hall and Sora hoped Riku would steer them right to the dance floor.

“It’s busier than last time!” Riku shouted to be heard over the music once they were on the dance floor.

Sora nodded and started to move to the bass. “It was a weekday last time!” Sora shouted back.

The first time they went to a club Sora had been afraid Riku wouldn’t care much for being on a dancefloor but to his great surprise his husband took to it like a duck to water.

Riku danced in a relaxed manner and curled one of Sora’s hands in his own. The dancing changed as the music did, from medium paced songs they just danced to, to fast paced ones they jumped around and laughed and sang along to, and the slower ones that Sora turned around so he could fit his back to Riku’s front, their hips moving in time to the beat.

“Time is it?!” Riku asked after a few hours of dancing and drinking.

Sora pulled out his Gummiphone and showed it to Riku. It was well after three in the morning.

“Wanna go?” Sora asked, gesturing at the exit. Riku nodded and Sora took his hand to lead him out.

——

The streets were practically empty as they walked outside. Riku had his arm around Sora’s shoulder and Sora both arms wrapped around his waist, leaning into Riku’s side.

“Yozora’s with Emmy,” Sora said, yawning loudly. Emmy was Ran’s, Yozora’s best friend, mother. They met on their first day of preschool and had been inseperably ever since. “She said we could pick him up tomorrow whenever.”

“Ah,” Riku replied. “I did wonder where you left him.”

Sora laughed and pressed his face to Riku’s chest. “Thanks for indulging me, I just... wanted to be you and me for a few hours. Is that terrible?”

Riku didn’t answer right away, mostly because he hadn’t figured out for himself if he should feel guilty for enjoying himself so much. Sora’s question helped him make up his mind.

“No,” he said. “Bet you’ll choke up when you see him again and it’ll barely have been twenty four hours.”

Sora jostled Riku and stuck out his tongue. “Probably,” Sora conceded. “Definitely.”

They both laughed. “It’s nice to be you and me all the time.” Riku said. “By the way.”

——

The hotel may have been the fanciest they’d gone to that night.

“How did you even manage to arrange all this without me knowing?” Riku asked, back against the headboard of the bed.

Sora grinned and squeezed the thigh he was holding and resting his head on. His legs were straight up against the wall. “I’m a man of many talents,” he said.

“No kidding,” Riku replied. “You managed to find someone to watch our kid, dressing up, dinner, dancing and a hotel room that probably costs more a night than we spend each month on food. Which is really saying something, considering all your fancy ingredients.”

Sora smirked. “You got a crush on me, or something?”

Riku laughed and pressed his face to Sora’s leg. “Or something.”

“So why don’t you come down here and do something about it?” Sora said instead of asked.

Two could play at that game.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let them have fun! I really like writing them having fun! In San Fransokyo! One day I will get it out of my system! But it is not this day! Enjoy!


	21. Chapter 21

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Future-fic: Riku sometimes needs a little tlc after Dreameating. Sora provides.

Being a Dreameater was something Riku had down to an artform at this point. Ome grimace on Sora’s face in his sleep and it was like a radar went off in Riku’s head, drawing him into the drop almost subconsciously.

In he came, took care of whatever dark memories had decided to surface in Sora’s dreams and dealt with them the same clean, efficient way he did everything else.

Sora would awake feeling rested and safe and warm, like he’d been held his Riku’s arms for hours, the remnants of Riku’s presence still lingering in his mind, like a scent or a look.

Riku however, always needed time to recover. In the past it had taken awhile for Sora to realize that Riku’s fatigue or lightheadedness or even grumpiness was because of the Dreameating.

“How come you’re out here all by yourself?” Sora asks when he finds Riku in their living room. His husband sits on their couch, slouched down with his head tilted back.

Riku grunts and shrugs.

Sora recognizes the lethargy for what it is immediately. He’s good at taking care of Riku. Just like Riku takes such good care of him when he gets hit with a magic migraine or a dark mood that makes it hard to get out of bed.

He goes to the kitchen and pours a glass of cold water and returns to Riku.

“You did such a good job,” Sora says and sits down on Riku’s lap. “I don’t remember a thing.”

He runs a slow, fond hand over Riku’s jaw and throat, just a bare hint of nails that make Riku’s back curl ever so slightly. Riku turns a murky mauve gaze, turquoise mixed with pink, to Sora and gives him a smile.

“Have some water,” Sora says and offers the glass. Riku takes it and drinks it all. Sora takes the glass back and sets it on the table, returning to lavishing Riku with affection. “All I remember is the minute it went dark, light came bursting through, like sun breaking through storm clouds. My light...”

Sora leans down and kisses Riku so slow and gentle, it makes him tremble a little. Riku only languishes in the affection, kissing back just as unhurried, his hands warm and big on Sora’s waist to pull him flush to Riku’s body.

It’s easy to just sit there, both of them lazy and content. When the kiss breaks Riku pulls Sora close enough to nuzzle his neck.

“You want something?” Sora asks, because if Riku asks he’ll get it for him, such a rush of adoration for this man that literally changed the fabric of his being to keep Sora safe no matter where he was. It was a potent rush and it made Sora feel like he could do anything.

Riku nods and speaks for the first time, “I’m hungry,” he says, whether it’s for food or Sora, he’s not quite sure with the way Riku presses his mouth to Sora’s throat. “Bath after.”

Sora raises his eyebrows. Riku must really be in a state if he’ll willingly sit in a tub.

“Okay,” Sora says, moving back to stand up. “I’ll make you some breakfast, just how you like it,” he says and stands, Riku’s hands lingering on him for as long as he can. Their bond is alive it’s practically humming between them, like a livewire, electricity racing from one heart to the other and back again. “And after I’ll draw you a bath and wash your hair and rub your shoulders...”

Riku smiles and curls his body like a cat at the prospect of being cared for so diligently.

Sora rolls up his sleeves but before he leaves he leans down one more time and gives Riku a kiss. “Thank you for keeping me safe,” he says and Riku just gives him a lazy smile in return. “Love you so much...”

Riku’s eyes turn bright pink right in front of Sora, like a summer sunrise on a clear day, like flower petals, like the blush that blooms in his handsome face to match his eyes.

Riku doesn’t say anything, now fully in a cloud of affectionate disposition, but the amount of love that surges from his heart to Sora’s makes Sora feel like his heart is the size of a house.

The smile on his face is so wide as he walks to the kitchen that Sora feels his face might split in half and he feels the familiar warmth of that pink gaze on him as he goes, like sunlight on his back.

It keeps him warm all day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can imagine being a Dreameater can be pretty rough sometimes, especially when you're looking after someone who's seen his fair share of bad stuff. Of course because it's the future, they're married.


	22. Chapter 22

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Canon-compliant: Sora and Riku are boyfriends and it is both the same and very different.

Sora learns quickly that being Riku’s boyfriend is something else entirely than being his best friend.

They’re still best friends, they joke around and rIb eachother, Sora still gets a little too loud and overexcited and Riku sometimes forgets his own strength when they play fight.

But now, most things are different. Like they got an upgrade.

Hugs last longer than before. To Sora’s great enjoyment, Riku sinks into them more, folds around Sora like an envelope. His hands and arms touch him in places they didn’t really before, around his waist, on his hips. Sora likes to lay his head on Riku’s shoulder and close his eyes, because Riku will always hum and run his hands up and down his back in a soothing way.

“You okay?” Riku will always ask and Sora will always reply, “I am now.”

Then there’s hand holding, which is electric at first and then it’s just a warm comfort that grounds Sora. Riku has beautiful hands, long, elegant fingers and the backs of them are smooth while his palms are a little rough. His nails are trimmed and shiny and there’s a dark gray ring on his middle finger that Sora got him for his birthday that he only takes off to wash and sleep.

Kisses are a revelation to Sora, like he can convey how much he feels for Riku into a simple gesture. There’s hello and goodbye kisses short and sweet, there’s after the heat of battle kisses hard and intense, there’s I think you’re wonderful and I love you kisses evolving from careful to deeper and longer, Sora’s fingers curled into Riku’s hair or jacket. Sometimes he just likes to crawl into Riku’s lap and kiss him for what feels like hours, because he’s handsome and sexy and it makes Sora feel so good.

Riku leaves his shirts on the bed to go shower, and Sora picks them up and pulls them on. He smells Riku’s natural scent, a little musky from sleep, a remnant of the cologne he wears nowadays, green tea and sandalwood, and the soap he washes himself with. When Riku comes out of the shower and spots Sora still lazing in bed, swimming in his shirt, a pretty grin on his face, he laughs, gives him a kiss and a pinch wherever he can reach and says, “You look good.” To which Sora just yawns and says, “I know.”

They fight hard but never stay angry long. Riku nudges gently to keep Sora from falling too hard into dark moods, Sora pulls back on Riku when he takes too much upon himself and forgets his own care.

They go on dates and travel to different worlds together. Sora makes Riku food and forges Keychains for him, Riku teaches Sora stillness and embracing his darkness inside for balance.

They’re immaculate in a fight together, not a moment of hesitation, effortless in their teamwork. They make perfect sense when they’re together.

Sora knows being boyfriends is another thing altogether, but it feels right.

He curls his hand around Riku’s wrist and leans up to press his grin against his best friend’s smile and everything and everyone else falls away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things change and yet stay exactly the same when you become boyfriends with the person you've been best friends with your entire life. I just made it extra prose-y.


	23. Chapter 23

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Royalty AU: more Royal walks, only this time Riku is the King and Yozora is their magically made crown prince.

Taking their sunday walk is an entirely new experience now that Riku is king. For one, the privy council members insist they’re accompanied by guards, which is silly because both Sora and Riku are better fighters than all of them combined.

Secondly, they’re told that the walk is fine but under no circumstance are they allowed to frequent any establishment. And last, certainly Sora’s least favorite, they are advised to keep their public displays of affection to a minimum.

Sora blows a raspberry the second they’re out the gates. The weather is so fine Sora’s almost sad he had to leave Yozora behind. But at three, he was starting lessons and afternoon naps were very much needed.

“Like our people would be upset to see their king is a doting husband,” Sora says, tugging on Riku’s arm. He greets people on the way as he always does. “And I can’t even go to all my favorite places? Ugh, why do they hate me so much?”

Riku, consummate doting husband, leans down and gives his irate husband a kiss on the cheek. “They don’t hate you,” and another. “We’ll go wherever you like,” and another. “And I’ll display my affection as often and publically as I please. The privy council is just flexing it’s muscle. Their king is almost half their age, it annoys them.”

One of the guards behind them sniggers.

Sora whips his head around. “Hey! Don’t make me send you back. I’ll tell Lord Axel and he’ll have you mucking out the barracks stables for a week.”

The other guard sniggers as well and Sora grins at them before turning back to Riku.

“What do you want to do first?” Riku asks.

“Tea first,” he says. “I skipped lunch so I’m starving... then the tailor’s, the bookshop, I want to see the herbalist and definitely the toy shop. I saw a wooden chocobo last time that flaps its wings when you pull the string.”

Riku laughs. “Yozora will love that,” he says. “Tea it is.”

The teashop they visit looks as astounded they’re there as the first time they stepped inside. All it takes for them to start treating the royal couple like the regulars they are is a bright smile from Sora.

“My usual,” Sora says, peering at the menu like he doesn’t know it by heart. Riku orders something significantly less sweet than Sora. “And those petit fours to go? Prince Yozora loves those.”

The woman serving them rushes off. Several guests look long and hard at them before minding their own business, only bowing when they leave or come in.

“It’s kinda funny hearing people calling you Your Majesty,” Sora says, sipping his tea with a happy face. “Oh!”

The entire decor of the tearoom is like an indoor garden, flowers and plants and bushes everywhere, and with the doors and windows wide open, birds and butterflies fly inside. A butterfly flutters over and lands on Riku’s shoulder. Against his dark blue coat, its cobalt blue wings look even more vibrant.

“Now you really look like something out of a fairytale,” Sora says with a grin. Riku just watches the butterfly until it flutters off.

“Hey, you’re the dreamy one, not me,” Riku says. “Didn’t nanny say no more sweets for Yozora?”

Sora drains his cup and frowns. “I think nanny forgets I’m his father. I’ll be the judge of how many sweets my son should get.”

“You clearly didn’t grow up with Scalan nannies,” Riku says and pays the waitress, despite her protests. “How he’s not the sweetest, most unspoiled child I’ve ever met, I’ll never know.”

They leave the tea room and continue their walk. They visit all the places Sora wants to go, stopping occassionally to make conversation with passing people. Along with the sweets, Sora had the little wooden chocobo wrapped up to give to Yozora later.

At the end of the afternoon, they stop at a large oak tree, colorful little flags still left from Riku’s coronation still hanging from the branches.

“Turn around,” Riku says to the guards and Sora rolls his eyes. It only takes a second for Riku to kiss him, warm hands on his waist. Sora slips his hands up Riku’s chest and around his neck, kissing back enthusiastically.

For just a moment, it feels like they’re a regular couple, sharing a kiss in the park after a date. Sora laughs when they pull apart.

“Your Majesty, really,” Sora says. “What will the privy council say when they find out your were canoodling in public?”

Both guards snigger this time, their shoulders bumping.

“Okay first, you two are on thin ice..” Riku says to the guards who stand at attention. “And you,” he says to Sora, who just smirks and curls his fingers into Riku’s hair. “I’ll deal with you later.”

This time, Sora sniggers along with the guards.

——

“You can have one after dinner or nanny will be cross with me,” Sora says, Yozora on his lap with his back to Sora’s chest.

“Nanny will be cross either way,” Riku says as he enters their bedroom. Yozora wriggles away from Sora and stands on the edge of their bed.

“Daddy!” He cries out, one hand holding his little chocobo toy. “Look what papa gave me.” He tugs on the string and watches in awe as the little wings flap.

Riku scoops him up and listens intently. “Oh wow, it’s almost like a real chocobo!” He kissed Yozora’s cheek and put him on his hip.

Dressed down to his pants, cotton shirt and bare feet, he looks less imposing but no less regal. His tall stature and excellent bone structure can’t be dressed down. It pleases Sora to see Yozora is already showing some of those qualities.

Sora lies back in bed and watches as the two of them walk around the room, Riku answering diligently whenever Yozora had a question, even if it was hard to understand at times.

“Look at how lazy your papa is,” Riku says from the edge of the bed, waking Sora from the light doze he’d fallen into. “Dinnertime, my love.”

Sora scrambles slowly out of bed. “Be sure to put some boots on, Your Majesty, you don’t want the privy council catching you with your toes out.”

All three of them look down at Riku’s feet and promptly burst into laughter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm going to run out of reasons why I'm writing Royalty au, I just really like writing Royalty au. Mostly because I have a reason for Riku to call Sora 'my love'.


	24. Chapter 24

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Post-canon: another bit from my next full length fic. While Riku is getting his wrist fixed, Sora spends the day wandering around San Fransokyo and of course, he makes new friends.

“Alright, so who’s this Riku anyway?” Tina asked, her head cocked.

Sora looked up from tying his shoelaces. “Oh,” he supposed he did talk about Riku a lot. Who could blame him, Riku was just really cool. “Riku’s my boyfriend.”

It was like Sora had spoken a magic word because within the blink of an eye, he was surrounded by girls. At least ten sets of glittering eyes looked down at him in anticipation. Sora liked that about girls, they were always so happy to share things. When he told Kairi he felt that same way, she just flicked his nose and gave him a pretty smile.

“Well, show us!” One of the girls cried out. “I bet he’s super cute!”

“And tall,” another said.

“And funny,” yet another gushed.

“And galant!” One of the girls said and all of them giggled.

Sora looked at them with wide eyes as they constructed his boyfriend in their heads. He wondered if this theoretical boyfriend was half as kind and strong and handsome as Riku was.

He took his phone out and scrolled through his pictures of Riku, of which there were many much to his best friend’s chagrin, and picked one of his favorites.

It was a picture of Riku on the other side of the room, and he had his head tilted so he could see past someone else to look straight at Sora, gaze soft and sweet. Whenever Sora entered a room and Riku was in it, it was a guarantee that Riku’s eyes would find him.

“This is him!” Sora said and turned the phone around. The cacophony of happy noise made Sora laugh out loud and surrender his phone willingly so his new friends could scroll through his pictures of Riku, singing his praises loudly.

It occured to Sora that having a boyfriend was a bigger deal than he ever imagined, but the pride made his skin feel fit to burst and he didn’t mind for a second.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sora is super good at making fast new friends, a talent which I am very jealous of, and of course he shows off his stuf muffin of a boyfriend.


	25. Chapter 25

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Post-canon: Sora and Riku finish a mission in San Fransokyo and enjoy the night and some coffee (in Sora's case).

The smell of coffee is pungent when Sora cracks open his vending machine can of caffeine and takes a loud sip, followed by a loud sigh.

Riku doesn’t like coffee, doesn’t like how bitter it is or how hard it is to get the taste out of his mouth so after several tries he gives up and sticks to tea and juice and water. Sora’s love of coffee however, is a joy to Riku.

He just really likes to find things that make his best friend happy.

So the happy bouncing Sora does while Riku puts coins in the vending machine make Riku smile, even though he doesn’t look up.

Riku picks the can up out of the vending machine and hands it to Sora, who takes it with a happy sound.

“Want to walk back to the hotel?” Riku asks, because it’s two am and they just finished taking care of a Heartless problem.

Instead, Sora shakes his head and leads Riku to the bench beside the vending machine. Riku lets himself be lead and immediately lifts an arm to make a space for Sora to fit into.

“Let’s sit here for a little bit,” Sora says, hands wrapped around his can. “I love this city, all the lights...”

San Fransokyo remains a thing to behold for the two of them, no matter how many worlds they’ve travelled to, island bumpkins at heart as they are. From the alleyway where they sit, the world around them stretches up and out endlessly, glittering lights from all the buildings topped with the glitter of starlight.

Sora hums. “I’m so glad this happened,” je says snd Riku raises an eyebrow.

“If you wanted coffee before you could have said so...” Riku starts but Sora cuts him off when he laughs.

“No!” He says with a grin. “I mean us.”

Us is a regular thing now. They’ve been together for more than a year. Everything may still be exciting but it feels natural. Riku doesn’t pinch himself or start sweating when Sora says he needs to talk about something.

But the words still ignite something in Riku.

“I’m so glad we’re together,” Sora says, staring up at the skyscrapers. From behind, Riku can see Sora’s ears and face flush because he wears his heart on his sleeve but he can be shy. “If I’d realized how happy this would make me, I’d have fallen in love with you a lot sooner!”

This time he turns and the smile on Sora’s face is equal measures bright and shy. It turns Riku’s insides to jelly.

“I don’t think you can really control it,” Riku says, as if they’re talking about the weather instead of his best friend’s beautiful heart. “It happened when it was meant to, I guess.”

Sora shakes his head. “Nuh-uh,” he disagrees. “If I’d noticed sooner... once I did it was so easy, Riku. And you’re a really great boyfriend.”

Riku has no idea where this outpour of sentiment is coming from, but he’s not going to look a wonderful gift horse in the mouth.

“That’s because my boyfriend is so great,” he says and the flush is back on Sora’s face. “It was definitely worth the wait. You’re worth it.”

Sora always soaks up praise like a sponge, still anxious he’s not good enough. He looks away from Riku and takes another sip of his coffee.

They sit quietly in the midnight low key bustle of the gigantic city they’re in, a haze of joy surrounding them, soft and slow like waking from an afternoon nap or coming home after being away for awhile.

Sora finishes his coffee and stands to toss the can in the trashcan. He doesn’t look at Riku until he sits back down on the bench and turns towards him. They both lean in with matching intent and the kiss they share is as soft and slow as the air around them.

There’s a giggle between them, bubbling into the kiss. Riku puts his arms around Sora and Sora puts one hand on Riku’s knee and the other on his cheek.

Maybe Riku had wanted this sooner, but he’d never expected to get it at all, so he’s never going to regret a moment he’s shared with Sora.

The night settles around them, and in Sora’s kiss, Riku falls in love the taste of coffee.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The last one! I like writing them just hanging out with each other and Sora being a I need coffee and I need it now person is my newest jam. Also I think he'd be in awe of how good the vending machines are. 
> 
> I posted these because lately I've been having trouble posting full length fics. I've been slow at writing them too, because to be honest I haven't really felt the same energy I had last year. Writing fic already isn't the most terribly rewarding thing to do, and the last few months I haven't felt much joy for it. It started to feel like production work, instead of a fun hobby I could share with nice people. Kinda lonely too.
> 
> What a sad story! Posting these makes it a lot easier for me to post more in the future, so I hope you enjoyed. Stay safe and happy in these trying times!


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